"I'm so jealous," Thalia said as we walked past a fountain.

"Why are you jealous, princess?"

"Because I wish my family had a big castle like yours."

"Don't you live in a castle too?"

Princess Thalia shook her head. "My family lives in a very, very big house..."

As she began to describe her home, I listened with interest, taking in the details of the elven architecture and the advanced technology that was incorporated into their daily lives. It was a far cry from the demon realm of Azurax, where technology and medicine were scarce.

It was clear that the elves had made great strides in advancing their society, both in terms of technology and magic. As a human in my past life, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy toward the elves, who seemed to possess the best of both worlds.

Despite our flaws, humans had one trait that allowed us to survive and thrive: adaptability. We had learned to work with the resources we had, creating tools and inventions to make our lives easier and more comfortable.

At the same time, our mortality made us keenly aware of our own fragility. We were not invincible like demons, nor did we possess the inherent magic of elves. We had to rely on our own ingenuity and resourcefulness to ensure our survival.

Demons, on the other hand, were born stronger, with bodies that were immune to pretty much anything. In my five years in Azurax, I had yet to come across a demon with something as simple as a cold. It was because of this, that demons had fallen behind when it came to technological and medicinal advances. Unlike humans, they didn't need to adapt to survive.

"It sounds incredible," I said with a smile, genuinely impressed by the advancements of the elven race. "I hope to see it for myself someday."

Princess Thalia's eyes lit up at my words, and she took my hand eagerly. "If you ever come to Alveria, I'll show you around."

"Sounds good to me."

As the princess and I made our way back to the palace, I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye. Something was off. My instincts told me that we were being watched.

"Princess, get behind me now!" I whispered urgently, gesturing for her to move closer to me as I drew my sword. I could feel my muscles tensing, ready for whatever was coming our way.

Just then, a group of children sprang out from the bushes, blocking our path.

What the hell is going on?! Who are these children!?!

The eldest among them was a boy who seemed to be around twelve. He stepped forward with an air of confidence as he crossed his arms over his chest. The second boy, who looked to be around ten, hung back, while the youngest, a girl who seemed to be around my age, stood silently beside him.

"What do you want?" I asked them, recognizing that they were siblings.

The eldest boy smirked and announced, "We are the sons of Lord Alistair, the fifth Grand Duke of Azurax. And soon, our father will kill Valtair and become the Demon King. I am David Thorn."

Usually, when you commit a crime, you don't announce your name to the world...

I rolled my eyes at his theatrics. "And what does that have to do with me?"

David snickered at me. "Oh, as much as I'd like to rearrange your face, I'm not here for you," he said, taking a step closer. "I just thought I'd pay a little visit to the elf princess."

Is this kid stupid or something?

As David spoke, his younger siblings surrounded us, effectively blocking all routes of escape. I could feel my irritation growing, but I knew I needed to stay calm and focused. This situation could easily turn violent, and I couldn't let anything happen to the princess.

I narrowed my eyes at David, trying to assess the situation. He was obviously trying to intimidate us, but I couldn't help but feel like there was more to it than that. Why would the children of a powerful duke be interested in harassing the princess?

As I was deep in thought, Princess Thalia spoke up, her voice shaking slightly. "What do you want from me? I haven't done anything to you."

David's grin widened as he turned his attention to the princess, who was visibly trembling with fear. "You see, little elf, we demons are a superior race. The superior race. And I plan on making an example out of you so that your kind knows their place."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again. I'd heard this kind of rhetoric before, and it was always the same. I knew that trying to reason with David would be pointless, so I decided to take a different approach.

"David, let's be reasonable here. There's no need for violence. If you have a problem with the elves, we can talk about it like civilized beings."

"Oh, look! He's trying to play hero now!" said David's younger brother. "Show him his place, big bro!"

David's grin widened as he took a step closer to Thalia. "I think it's about time the princess gets a haircut," he said, waving his knife in the air.

If I was angry before, it couldn't compare to the anger I was feeling now. How dare he come here and threaten innocent people? I took a step forward, positioning myself between David and the princess. "You're not going to touch her!"

"I don't think you can stop me."

This freaking kid is really starting to get on my nerves...

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. "I don't want any trouble, but I won't stand by and watch you hurt her."

"Don't worry, little prince. We won't hurt her. We're just going to give her a royal haircut."

I heard a small sniffle and turned to see the princess's eyes filled with fear. I knew I had to do something to ease her anxiety.

"Everything will be fine," I whispered, patting her head gently. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

David scoffed at my words. "Don't make promises you can't keep, little prince... Did I forget to mention I passed the entrance exam of Nocturna Academy, last week?"

If he calls me Little Prince one more time, I'm going to...

"Congratulations," I said, trying to diffuse the situation. "Now, please leave us alone."

David's expression turned dark. "Watch your tone," he said, raising the knife in his hand. "Unless you want to have a royal haircut too."

My patience was wearing thin, and I knew I had to do something to get rid of these pests. I quickly scanned the surroundings to make sure there were no curious eyes before deeming it safe to bring out my mana.

As David stepped forward to shove me out of the way, I caught his wrist and twisted it. He screamed.

"Bugger off," I whispered in his ear, my anger barely contained. I released him and watched as he staggered back into his brother.

Instead of retreating, David released his mana and started chanting a spell. I watched in displeasure as a small ball of fire began to form over his palm.

"This is your last warning," I said, my voice steady. "Leave now, or face the consequences."

Taking his grin as my cue, I released a good chunk of my mana and mixed in my killing intent.

David and his siblings immediately tensed up, their bodies trembling in fear. "W-what have you done?!"

I was about to reply sarcastically when I noticed the princess was also under the effect of my penetrating aura. Her body was trembling, and tears were streaming down her face.

I shook her gently, trying to snap her out of it. "Listen to me, everything will be okay. For now, I need you to run to the palace and tell your uncle what has happened. Do you understand?"

The princess seemed to calm down and nodded before sprinting off to the palace.

Good. That's one less person to worry about.

Turning back to David, I could see that he had somewhat recovered, and was already aiming a fireball at Thalia. I wasn't going to let that happen. Closing the distance between us, I punched him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. His fireball dissipated, and he fell to his knees, retching as he threw up.

"Don't forget that I warned you," I reminded the siblings, my voice cold and menacing.

David and his siblings, who'd frozen in place, looked at me in fear, realizing that they had underestimated me. "I-I didn't know..."

"What didn't you know?"

"We didn't know you were this powerful," David stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That's because you didn't bother to find out," I replied, my voice laced with anger. "You came here with the intention of causing trouble, and now you'll have to face the consequences."

"F-Fuck you!" David spat angrily.

Good! Show me your anger. It'll make all of this more enjoyable for me...

Just as I was about to launch another attack, a sudden burst of energy coursed through the air, causing me to falter. I sensed at least a dozen mana signatures heading toward us, at an alarming speed.

Acting as fast as I could, I gathered my strength and focused on pulling every last drop of mana back into my body. As I did so, I took a couple of cautious steps back, preparing myself for the unknown.

The sudden appearance of Cynthia, Amos, Lady Ophelia, and a woman I had never met before, made me relax a little. They were all running towards us, and the sound of their hurried footsteps echoed in the otherwise silent garden. They were trailed by a dozen heavily armed guards, who looked like they meant business.

As they approached us, I could see that Cynthia was livid with anger. She stormed towards me, her eyes blazing. "Lucian! What is going on!?!"

I stared at her silently, feeling a bit shocked by the anger in her voice. This had to be the first time I saw my mother angry. Does she think I started this fight or something?

"You better explain why you put your hands on my child," said the woman I hadn't recognized. I quickly realized she was the mother of the three children. Her expensive clothes and irritating voice made me want to roll my eyes.

Just as I opened my mouth to defend myself, Thalia ran past her uncle and stood between the children's mother and me. "Lucian didn't do anything wrong!"

"Then tell me what happened?" the woman demanded.

" Your children tried to assault me, and Lucian protected me."

"Liar!" the woman exclaimed, her voice laced with venom.

"I'm not lying!" Thalia protested, pointing towards the ground beside David. "Your son tried to cut my hair with that dagger."

"I don't believe you. I don't trust a single word that comes out of your dirty elvish mouth..." the woman spat, her words causing me to see red.

"Watch your tone," Lady Ophelia warned, speaking up for the first time since arriving at the scene. "You're speaking to a princess."

The moment the words left Ophelia's mouth, the woman's mouth snapped close. The mana Ophelia was exuding would be more than enough to shut anyone up.

"My niece is many things," Lord Amos noted as he placed a hand on Thalia's shoulder. "But, she is not a liar."

The woman glared at us for a few more seconds before she stormed off, taking her children with her. I let out a sigh of relief, feeling the tension in the air dissipate. I turned to look at Cynthia and the others, grateful for their support. We had won this battle, but I knew the war was far from over. I knew without a shred of doubt, that those three kids would one day try to get revenge on me.

I dare them to try... Next time I won't be so polite...

"Is it true? Did you protect the princess?" Cynthia's eyes were still locked onto mine as she searched for the truth in my words. Her anger had faded into a sense of vulnerability, and I could see the guilt written all over her face. I took a deep breath before answering her question.

"Yes, mother."

Without warning, Cynthia threw her arms around me, pushing my face straight into her chest. "I'm so, so, so, so, so, so sorry for screaming at you Lucy! Can you forgive your mommy?"

"Ok, ok! Please let go of me!" I pleaded. "Can't you see we're in public?"

Recognizing that we were in front of guests, Cynthia released me and took a deep breath. "I apologize for my behavior. I just get very emotional when it comes to my son."

That wasn't emotional! That was plain and simple, crazy!

Lady Ophelia smiled understandingly. "It's quite endearing to see that you cherish your son so much."

"I agree," Thalia added, nodding in agreement.

Dear God... Save me...

The tension in the air slowly dissipated, like a storm cloud giving way to a calm, sunny day. The guards lowered their weapons, the sweat on their foreheads glistening in the fading light of the sun. My mother stood there, her face a mix of regret and embarrassment at her emotional outburst. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself, looking around at the crowd that had gathered.

"I'm sorry, my dear," she said softly. "I didn't mean to cause a scene."

I smiled back at her, relieved that the tension had dissipated. Just then, Lord Amos approached me and patted my back. "You did well, your highness. You have my gratitude for protecting my niece."

"It was nothing, lord Amos."

"Nothing? You prevented an international disaster from happening today," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're only five years old."

"Neither can I!" Thalia said, prying her way into the conversation.

I shook my head and shrugged.

To be honest, I didn't think there was anything I could say to counter her statement.

"I'm just glad everyone is safe," I said, looking around at the crowd that had gathered.

Just as Lord Amos opened his mouth to speak, a bell rang, echoing throughout the entire palace. The sound was so loud that it seemed to shake the very foundations of the garden. Hell, the whole city probably heard the bell ring.

"It's time," my mother said, her voice tinged with urgency. "The duel is about to begin. We should hurry to the coliseum. Your father needs our support."

The rest of the entourage nodded in agreement, and with that, we all started making our way to the stadium. As we walked, my mind raced with thoughts of what was about to happen. I had been wondering why neither Valtair nor Alistair had shown up to the commotion, and now I had my answer.

Looking up at the sun, I realized that a good number of hours had passed since I left the banquet hall. How was that possible? Had I really spent that much time with the princess? 

I shook away any distracting thoughts, focusing on the matter at hand. Soon, I would be witnessing the battle that would pave the future of this realm.

As we drew closer to the grand coliseum, the sound of the crowd swelled into an uproar that threatened to overwhelm our senses. The anticipation in the air was palpable, almost tangible, as if every person in attendance was holding their breath in anticipation of what was to come.

The stands were a sea of bodies, a colorful tapestry of faces from all walks of life, each one filled with the same electric energy that crackled through the air. The sun beat down on us, casting long shadows across the sand as if even nature itself was holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.

By my calculations, there were over fifty thousand in attendance.

As I took my seat, my eyes moved to the center of the arena where two figures stood, waiting in silence. Valtair stood on one side, and Alistair on the other. This was it. I was about to see two of the strongest beings in this world clash together in a battle for the throne.